Of course, this is Week 17 and the Broncos, by virtue of Monday’s win over Cincinnati, have earned their place in the postseason. With that said, they can be anywhere from #1 to a wild card team on the road pending on today’s results.
The Broncos will clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs should they beat the Chargers and if the New England Patriots are upset by the Miami Dolphins. In this vein of thought, the Broncos will know if this is possible by their 2:25 pm MST kickoff as New England plays in the early window.
Should the Patriots win, the Broncos can still clinch the AFC West and the #2 overall seed and a first-round bye if they defeat San Diego. In the event they do not, if Kansas City beats Oakland, the Chiefs would win the AFC West and get the #3 seed.
In any case, the Broncos control their own destiny which is all they can hope for in Week 17 and they, at least to me, look stronger this season should they be #2 then the previous year.
This is your game thread, so use it. In that vein of thought, be nice to any Chargers fans should they visit. Let’s be honest: San Diegans are going to lose their NFL team and perhaps their coach as well so they need a hug, not mockery. If they complain about injuries, kindly remind them that safety TJ Ward and linebacker Brandon Marshall are not locks to play this afternoon and all should go well.